Staying away from the possible threats of the internet is the very first thing you should know after you learn how to navigate the web. Here are those:

Do's:

Do follow the rules that your parents have set regarding the time you are allowed to use the internet, the purpose of your use of the internet, the sites you are allowed to visit, and the limitations they have set.

If you are using instant messaging or entering chat rooms, DO stay on public, monitored and child-friendly rooms.

Do tell your parents immediately if you have encountered any problem while using the internet or if you have engaged in an uncomfortable situation.

Do use an alias or nickname every time you enter chat rooms and forums.

Do avoid posting your personal profile on the web. This may be used by online predators against you.

Do visit good websites.

Do close the web browser immediately if you see any images of violence, nudity, pornography, sex, and other contents that aren't right for your age. Do tell your parents about this immediately.

Do practice politeness while talking to your friends online just like practicing politeness when you are on the phone.

Do ask for permission from your parents before buying something online.

Don'ts:

If you are using instant messaging or entering chat rooms, DON'T allow others to harass you or put you in an uncomfortable situation.

Don't reply to or start a conversation with people you don't know. Don't accept gift offerings from them.

Don't give your real identity to anyone you meet online. This includes your real name, address, school information, email address, password, and bank account information.

Don't fill-out any survey, membership, or application forms asking for your personal information from an unsecured site.

Don't disable any security setting your parents have set such as antivirus, firewall, site filtering, and site monitoring programs.

Don't open, reply or download attachments from spam or from unknown senders. These may contain viruses or other threats that can harm your computer.

Don't download any files that are given to you by people you've met online. Don't download any files from your email, unless they are solicited.

Don't use free and downloadable peer-to-peer file-sharing programs (e.g. Kazaa and Grokster). These are known to have spyware.

And most of all... DO practice honesty and DON'T hide anything from your parents.